On Saturday morning, actor Anupam Kher flagged off a march in New Delhi to demonstrate that India is a tolerant country. "No one has the right to call India an intolerant country," he said.
#MarchForIndia Is about our belief in our motherland. We don't need a certificate from d world about our tolerance levels.:)#IndiaIsTolerant
On Saturday afternoon, NDTV reporter Bhairavi Singh began tweeting about her experience at the protest, alleging that she was harassed and chased by protestors for bringing up India's polarising debate on tolerance.
Shaken, scared by goons who didn't understand a word of what I said at the March @AnupamPkher
First was called a prostitute, heckled, chased just for saying that the Indian creative world is divided on this issue @AnupamPkher
I was thrust a poster in my face, told I'm a paid journalist- asked to wear a congress cap @AnupamPkher @imbhandarkar
Being proud Hindu means terrorising anyone who says anything @AnupamPkher I was abused, heckled, pushed by educated people and a mob
After being heckled, told your fault - you deserved it as you were reporting false things @AnupamPkher @imbhandarkar
According to NDTV's report, their crew was verbally abused and pushed around before being escorted to safety by the police.
.@ndtv's female reporter gheraoed and harangued during #MarchForIndia. Is this tolerance? #Shameful
Singh received a lot of support after her tweets, including from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
This kind of treatment is unacceptable. I admire ur courage Ma'am. https://t.co/SYPjDcJ4io
Ma'am, I don't know you but I want to say I appreciate your courage. Not many in our profession have it any more. https://t.co/d6nvaV2cOJ
All this by those who were marching to make the point that there is no intolerance in India #YoBhaktsSoTolerant https://t.co/bFhUJsBVPE
There were also supporters of the protest who began harassing Singh online as well.
@Bhairavi_NDTV @AnupamPkher Shame on you #Presstitutes You ask anti National questions and expect that u would be worshipped.#MarchForIndia
@Bhairavi_NDTV You deserved it, @sardesairajdeep ki chamchi #MarchForIndia
@Bhairavi_NDTV @ArvindKejriwal @AnupamPkher finally u showed ur cheapness lady ..
Kher is yet to respond on the issue, although he has been still been actively tweeting about the #IndiaIsTolerant march.
Happy to share that PM @narendramodi ji is meeting us at 6.30pm.:) #MarchForIndia #IndiaIsTolerant
UPDATE
An Aaj Tak reporter, Mousmi Singh, was also allegedly heckled at the march by the protesters. According to an India Today report, she and her crew were pushed around by participants at the rally.